Chapter 496: This guy

That day, under Situ Haitang's arrangement, Xu Que sat down with Shang Ling and several elders to drink tea and discuss the Dao.

Shang Wu was also called over by Shang Ling, and right in front of Xu Que, he was given a thorough scolding!

Shang Wu looked aggrieved, but he didn't dare to talk back.

This was because Shang Ling had already sent him a voice transmission, warning him not to say a single word, otherwise he would call off the marriage contract between him and Situ Haitang!

This was indeed Shang Wu's weak spot, so he had no choice but to keep his mouth shut and obediently endure the scolding.

However, when he looked at Xu Que, a trace of schadenfreude and a cold sneer would flash in his eyes from time to time.

……

Before coming here, Shang Wu had already received news from his confidant.

That secret letter for help had already been sent from the Danyang Sect to the Gong family overseas, consuming over a hundred top-grade spirit stones!

But he had paid this price and received a return; the Gong family responded quickly, stating that they had already dispatched four Infant Transformation Stage experts to take action, and that Shang Wu's cousin—the son of his aunt—would personally lead the team, expected to arrive within a few days!

This gave Shang Wu hope for revenge. He was one of the few people in the Five Elements Mountain who knew the situation of the overseas cultivators!

Overseas cultivators were far more powerful than those in the Five Elements Mountain. Even at the same cultivation realm, overseas cultivators could fight ten opponents at once, relying on the suppression of their techniques and the disparity in their physical bodies!

However, Xu Que had long noticed that something was wrong with this guy Shang Wu's gaze, but he saw through it without exposing it, sneering repeatedly in his heart.

If this guy was still thinking of any conspiracies or tricks, then he wouldn't mind truly going on a killing spree when the time came, creating an alibi for himself, and then letting his Lightning Illusion Body wipe this guy out.

……

In the tea-tasting and Dao-discussing session that followed, amidst the clinking of cups and pots, the several elders expressed their own opinions, speaking with great eloquence.

Only Xu Que was left completely confused, yet he still pretended to understand on the side, nodding from time to time and feigning deep thought occasionally.

After all, others relied on enlightenment and cultivation to ascend, but he relied entirely on killing. How could he understand any Great Dao? He had no choice but to remain silent throughout, maintaining his cold and arrogant persona!

Situ Haitang couldn't stand it anymore, thinking he was still putting on airs, so she nudged him gently and sent a voice transmission: "Xu Que, you should at least give the elders some face and say something, right?"

"Uh!" Xu Que squeezed out a smile with difficulty. Say something? Are you kidding? I'm a person who cares about face, okay? I've long since disdained doing things like forced acting cool!

However, Shang Ling happened to see Xu Que's smile and thought he had some insights, so he hurriedly asked: "Young Friend Zhuge, in terms of aptitude and talent, no one here can compare to you. I wonder if you could explain the Great Dao to us?"

Xu Que immediately felt a headache!

Damn it, whatever I fear comes to pass. What kind of Dao can I, the King of Acting Cool, talk about?

No, no, as a generation's King of Acting Cool, how could I fall like this?

I'm not good at talking about the Great Dao, but I am good at bluffing!

In an instant, his tiger-like body shook, his expression tightened, and he said: "Sect Master Shang is too polite. Just now I heard you all discussing the Great Dao, but have you ever thought about what the Dao actually is?"

Shang Ling and the others were stunned, and even Situ Haitang was surprised!

What is the Dao?

Clearly, none of them had expected Xu Que to ask such a question!

"Dao"—it seems everyone understands it, but if asked what it is, it really leaves people unable to answer!

"My god, you don't even know this? This is a knowledge point! You didn't listen carefully in junior high Chinese class, right? The so-called Dao is nothing more than one sentence!" Xu Que looked at them with a look of disappointment, shaking his head repeatedly.

Everyone was immediately dumbfounded. What did junior high Chinese class mean?

At this moment, Xu Que suddenly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and recited: "The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the people present immediately widened their eyes.

These words... were truly too profound.

The Dao that can be told! Yet it is not the eternal Dao. Why on earth is this?

Several people looked at Xu Que and saw his eyes tightly closed, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he were deep in thought, yet there was an extraordinary temperament about him. Coupled with these words he spoke, it was as if a deity was preaching the Dao!

Amazing, truly amazing!

Worthy of being General Zhuge. No wonder he has such cultivation attainments at such a young age; he is truly a model for the cultivation world!

Even Shang Wu couldn't help but be dumbfounded. He never imagined that this guy, who was younger than him, could actually say such profound words!

Situ Haitang was also surprised. She had wanted this guy to just say something, but she hadn't expected him to have such a side.

……

However, Xu Que was actually panicking inside. His expression of deep thought wasn't an act; he was truly struggling to recall the text!

After all, it was a text he had memorized in junior high; how could he remember it now!

Sigh, this is really hard!

After a long while, Xu Que finally remembered a little more and recited: "The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. Therefore, always be without desire to observe its wonders. Always have desire to observe its manifestations. These two come from the same source but have different names; both are called mysterious. Mysterious and even more mysterious, the gate of all wonders... Uh, let's stop here. After all, the master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. You can comprehend it yourselves!"

After finishing, he let out a long sigh of relief, having barely managed to muddle through.

After all, this was stuff from the *Tao Te Ching*, passed down by the ancestors of Daoism. How could it not be high-class?

Shang Ling and the others were completely dumbstruck, frozen in place.

What Xu Que said was indeed very mysterious and profound. It seemed to be teaching people how to conduct themselves, but in reality, it was viewing Dao Essence from a perspective of simplifying the complex!

For them, this was an supreme harvest!

Especially seeing Xu Que let out a slight breath after speaking, as if it had been very mentally taxing, moved them even more.

Because this kind of expression was usually the way one finished cultivation.

Shang Ling immediately sighed with admiration: "It seems that while Young Friend Zhuge was discussing the Dao just now, he was also comprehending it on the side. How diligent!"

"No wonder Young Friend Zhuge has such attainments at such a young age. It truly makes us feel inferior!"

"Indeed, today has truly been a profound harvest. Young Friend Zhuge is truly worthy of my admiration!"

"Nowadays, there really aren't many young people as hardworking as Young Friend Zhuge!"

The other elders also nodded repeatedly, sighing with emotion!

No wonder he stepped into the Infant Transformation Stage in his teens. Besides having good talent, the important thing is diligence!

And Shang Wu, listening to everyone's praise for Xu Que, was completely dumbfounded!

It is said that villains are punished by other villains. As a villain himself, Shang Wu understood people like Xu Que all too well and was very clear about his style.

Hearing his father and several seniors praise Xu Que like this, he was almost angered to tears!

Damn it, this guy is definitely not that kind of person! You've all been deceived!

"Smack!"

Suddenly, at this moment, Shang Ling slapped the back of Shang Wu's head and said in a deep voice: "You rebellious son, what are you still dazing for? Look at Young Friend Zhuge. Even with such great talent, he is never arrogant, but instead puts in even more effort, devoting himself entirely to cultivation. And you? All you know is how to be competitive and bully the weak."

"I..." Shang Wu was immediately on the verge of tears.

I'm competitive? I bully the weak?

My father! Can you open your eyes and see clearly? This Zhuge Liang is the one who is truly competitive and bullies the weak!

"Sigh, keep a low profile, keep a low profile! Sect Master Shang, don't be angry, be careful not to ruin your health! Children need to be taught slowly. If they don't understand, we teach them until they do. You have to be patient!" Xu Que hurriedly advised earnestly!

Shang Wu immediately widened his eyes, almost driven mad by anger!

Damn it, you're a few years younger than me, yet you call me a child? And "teach slowly"—what kind of big-tailed wolf are you pretending to be here? Since when is it your turn to comfort my father?

But Shang Ling nodded repeatedly, feeling that what Xu Que said made a lot of sense. Educating children really does require patience; being a parent is truly not easy!

"Young Friend Zhuge sees things clearly. It's a pity that this son of mine is beyond teaching; nowadays, even I find it hard to control him!" Shang Ling shook his head and sighed.

"Ah? That won't do, Sect Master Shang!" Xu Que immediately stood up and said righteously: "As the saying goes, 'spare the rod and spoil the child.' If a child is picky about food and doesn't eat, it's mostly because they need a beating. Just beat them once and it'll be fine!"

In an instant, Shang Wu widened his eyes again. Damn it, what are you saying? Since when am I picky about food and don't eat?

Shang Ling was also stunned for a moment, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "But my son's problem is much more serious than being picky about food, sigh!"

Xu Que immediately waved his hand: "Sect Master Shang, you misunderstood. I was just giving an example! How about I change the example? Do you know why I have such achievements today? It's all thanks to my father!"

"Oh? I'd like to hear the details!" Everyone's spirits were immediately lifted; they all wanted to know how this General Zhuge reached this point.

Xu Que sighed with great emotion, looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, and slowly said: "When I was young, my family was very poor, and I couldn't eat or sleep well every day. Once, a carriage loaded with grain passed by, and a piece of moldy steamed bun fell off. I immediately rushed up to take it and eat it. As a result, I was hung up by my father that very day, beaten with thorny sticks for three days and three nights until my skin was torn and flesh was mangled, and he even sprinkled salt on it!

From then on, I understood a principle: one must be 'honest and upright,' and one should not take things that don't belong to them! Moreover, I developed a spirit of 'independence and self-improvement' because of this, so the reason I can cultivate so diligently today is all thanks to that brutal beating from my father back then!"

After finishing, he looked at Shang Ling and said meaningfully: "So, Sect Master Shang, teaching children really requires methods; you have to be hard-hearted! Spare the rod and spoil the child; good people are made under the thorny stick. If they don't remember after one beating, then we beat them twice. If they still don't remember after two, then we beat them three times. Keep beating them until they remember it for a lifetime! When the child grows up and becomes sensible, they will remember your kindness!"

Shang Ling's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had comprehended something, and he said with great joy: "Young Friend's words truly wake the dreamer!"

"Bang!"

Immediately, the teacup in Shang Wu's hand slipped and smashed onto the ground.

He widened his eyes, almost spitting out a mouthful of old blood!

Zhuge Liang, I'll go to your sister!

How did you grow that mouth of yours?

This is clearly instigating my father to beat me brutally!

Father, you must not believe him!

This guy's mouth is poisonous! ===== CHAPTER 497 =====